Digital Music Technology for Independent Musicians

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

Type of Work

Department

University of Baltimore. Yale Gordon College of Arts & Science

Program

University of Baltimore. Master of Science in Interaction Design and Information Architecture

Citation of Original Publication

Rights

Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by the University of Baltimore for non-commercial research and educational purposes.

Abstract

This study investigates the challenges faced by independent musicians in utilizing various forms of Digital Music Technology to achieve their career goals. Despite the numerous technological advancements the music industry has seen over the years, independent musicians often struggle to effectively leverage them due to limited resources and a lack of understanding of the necessary processes. Through a review of existing literature of the technologies independent musicians use to market, distribute and record their music, and qualitative interviews with independent musicians, the study examines the current use and potential of music production software, online marketing and distribution platforms, and digital audio workstations by independent artists. The findings will be analyzed and coded to identify strengths and weaknesses of these tools and to provide a set of recommendations for design opportunities and improvements to assist independent musicians in reaching their goals. The purpose of this research is to uncover how independent musicians can leverage and interact with technological applications, processes, and means of Digital Music Technology to accomplish their musical career objectives.